


A Nagging In the Back of My Mind

by SqueakyClam



Series: Tinnitus [1]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: And sometimes we hate each other, Basically everyone in Dirtmouth, Crack Treated Seriously, Gen, Humor, I'm Bad At Tagging, Myla is alive, Not Beta Read, Sharing a Body, Sometimes we all become one giant void creature, Somewhat, The Knight is Called Ghost (Hollow Knight), Written in one sitting, a whole lot of arguing, i'll add tags later if I remember to smh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:33:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27719590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SqueakyClam/pseuds/SqueakyClam
Summary: Alright, hear me out.The Shade Lord is the void united. In that case, it is safe to assume all former entities made of void – including all living vessels and/or their respective shades – congealed together to form said Shade Lord.Let’s say that Ghost is at the head. They share the “mind” of the void with all other former vessels, kingsmoulds, wingmoulds, what have you.Let’s also, for fun, go with the theory that Zote was a failed vessel.Oh, how unfortunate.
Relationships: The Knight & Zote the Mighty (Hollow Knight)
Series: Tinnitus [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2155308
Comments: 44
Kudos: 134





	A Nagging In the Back of My Mind

**Author's Note:**

> Basically,
> 
>  **Ghost:** oh cool I’m a god now. That’s funky  
>  **Zote in the back of their mind:** what the hell where am I  
>  **Ghost:**  
>  Ghost: _say sike right now_

Elderbug’s day had been rather uneventful thus far.

He stood in his usual position, hovering beside Dirtmouth’s strangely comfortable bench, and hummed absently to himself as he surveyed the state of the town.  
He had grown so used to the silence that once claimed the dreary place; seeing it begin to thrive again was something special, and quite endearing in its own way. Once that small wanderer had stumbled into this place, suddenly life returned to the village… and Elderbug could only assume he had them to thank.  
After all, the return of the old shopkeep, Sly, was no doubt thanks to them. The retired Nailsage had spoken of the pale stranger upon his return, explaining how they had shaken him from an odd trance-like state.  
The young girl Bretta had returned as well, uttering a similar description, albeit with a wistful and lovestruck tone.

Whatever happened to the girl’s fascination with the traveler? It puzzled Elderbug to this day.  
One day, all she’d do was talk about them, referring to them with such grand titles as “Savior” and “Hero,” and the next… she was sat beside a different bug, intently listening as he rambled on and on about his questionable moral code. Her fixation jumped from one “Knight” to another, and perhaps Elderbug would never get an explanation.

Ah, well. Another one of life’s great mysteries.

Speaking of Bretta, Elderbug’s thoughts were sliced through by the sound of her screaming.

Before he could start moving, Iselda – the other shopkeep in town – came rushing out of her shop, practically bursting through the door. Her husband trailed right behind, seeming almost more curious than worried.  
Elderbug hurriedly made his way over as well, meeting Bretta where she had been sitting next to the… self-proclaimed knight.

…Well, he once was, anyway. Where Zote had been was now nothing but his mask and wooden nail, as if his body had vanished from existence entirely.   
Bretta was reasonably shaken, unable to form coherent sentences as she gestured wildly towards Zote’s remains, desperately trying to explain what happened… though she couldn’t have possibly known.  
Iselda did her best to comfort the girl, even if she was equally perplexed as to what could have occurred here. The civilians of Dirtmouth all looked to each other in confusion, hoping _someone_ would pipe up and clarify this situation, but not a soul spoke.

How simply odd.

* * *

With a shriek that shook the heavens, the void tore through the Godseeker’s shell, bursting forth in a tidal wave and consuming her body with nothing to spare.

The black substance flooded the sewers, staining the waters and conquering the junk pit. The Shade Lord, the void united, given form, given focus… after centuries of slumber, they had awoken again. Their cries rang throughout the Royal Waterways as the abuse they suffered from could finally be expressed… in the form of a wail. They cared not for whom heard them, if any were left alive to do so. With the Infection gone, only Gods knew if any formerly Infected being would survive.

Luckily, the Shade Lord was a God. The God of Gods, to be precise.

And they knew. Not a single Infected bug would live. Half had already died before the Radiance sabotaged their bodies, anyhow.  
For this, and for their shared pain, the void cried.

Then their body collapsed, and they let themselves submerge into the murky depths of void.

_“Is it over?”_

A tiny voice spoke. One of thousands that occupied the void, now.

 _“Yes,”_ The lead responded. _“It is over.”_

Ghost wasn’t entirely sure how they had inherited this status of power, but it would certainly take some getting used to.  
Just hours ago, they had been fighting diligently against the Gods of Hallownest, inflicting all the pain the Radiance had caused right back onto her. A moment of finality, combined with anguish, desperation, and most interestingly, joy.  
For regardless on whether they survived the ordeal or not, the Radiance would be forever gone, and the light would be forever snuffed out.

They did survive. Which was unexpected, truthfully.  
Even if in a much, _much_ larger body, inhabiting _many_ more minds than just their own.  
The thought forced a half-hearted laugh from them. “No mind to think,” that wyrm had claimed, and yet millions buzzed in unison now… even if their voices rarely surpassed the volume of a whisper.

After their shared moment of sorrow and sobbing, Ghost came to realize their amount of control over this body. They had expected a combined effort with the rest of the void, but that was hardly the case. They could move the body as easy as they had done with their former one.  
Curious.  
Clearing their mind of the agony they so wished to finally express, they focused on a different task: Lifting themselves up and out of the junk pit, hopefully.

Using all four new arms, Ghost heaved the body upward, blinking away the remaining blur of the dream world. It took them a moment to notice that their eye count had multiplied by four, and they just about reeled from the new sense of depth they had.  
There was _far_ too much to see from this height and with this many eyes. It would give them a headache if they were capable of having one.

They stretched and flexed every inch of their new form, feeling _power_ coursing through them. The soul energy they once harnessed was weak in comparison to the void’s full extent, and Ghost relished in it. They already knew that they’d enjoy being a God. A rumble came from their throat, almost resembling a growl or satisfied purr.

The rest of the void stayed relatively quiet amongst themselves, conversing in hushed tones, celebrating in silence. Ghost supposed that’s all they were used to, as most of the void – if not all of it – was conditioned to have “no voice to cry suffering.” This was new to all of them.

Ghost wondered if they’d get louder over time.

Just as this thought crossed their mind, one voice grew _extraordinarily loud._

 _“Oh, what must ail me_ now? _I cannot see a thing! Have I lost consciousness? Bah! Surely not, never would I let my guard down around a potential foe!”_

Oh.  
Oh no.  
Ghost recognized that voice.

_“Do I even still reside in that ghastly hamlet? Wyrm knows, for I have been so suddenly blinded! How terrible! Reveal yourself, cur! Who are you to obscure my vision?!”_

Please, what Gods there may be still remembered… say it isn’t true. _  
“Zote?”_ Ghost guessed, letting their voice echo through the void.

 _“Aha! The villain knows of my title! Well, of course they do, I_ am _a knight of great renown, after all.”_

Oh, Gods above, why forsake Ghost with this horrible fate? Was this a cruel joke? Perhaps a punishment for being born.  
Regardless, this has left Ghost with a whole other set of questions. They weren’t sure they wanted answers, but seeing as they were all stuck together here now…

_“You are a being of Void?”_

_“Why should I answer the questioning of one of my foes? If it’s a battle you so desire, have at you! Return my vision at once, and we shall spar as true knights!”_

This wasn’t getting anywhere.

_“Zote. It’s Ghost. I saved you twice.”_

_“’Saved’?! Who proclaims themselves as my savior?! What rubbish! As if I would need the help of some cur. I am Zote the Mighty! I do not need saving.”_

That erases any doubts Ghost might’ve had, then. The rest of the void fell silent with this exchange, allowing the two louder voices to argue. Ghost could feel a good portion of the void feeling amusement over the scenario, and they would give them a tired glare if they knew how.

_“Do you happen to remember an incident with the Vengefly King? Or you being trapped in a web in Deepnest? Or even a battle in the Colosseum of Fools?”_

_“…You?! You are what holds me captive here?!”_

_“I’m not ‘holding you captive’ anywhere. We are Void. We are united as one. Regrettably.”_

_“Hmph! Well, the regret is mutual! I had hoped you and I didn’t share blood, as how shameful that would be, yet I suppose this proves my theories incorrect.”_

_“I didn’t realize you were a vessel, either. You had a mouth, for one.”_

_“I was the first, I’ll have you know! One of, anyway! It’s no fault of mine that our Father was jealous in how he refused to express himself beyond his foresight.”_

Huh. Ghost had not expected that sudden leap in knowledge. How much did Zote know? Or was it all just nonsense?

_“Our Father? Jealous?”_

_“I sense you doubting me!”_ Zote’s sudden shout reminded Ghost that they had a shared mind, and that reminder was entirely unfortunate… for then Ghost could only hear Zote’s aggravated thoughts, and boy, they sure were cluttered and loud and… nonstop.

_“I’m not doubting you. You just have a tendency to lie.”_

The very dramatically offended gasp that came from Zote broke Ghost’s composure for just a second, as they almost started laughing at that.

 _“Before you begin quoting precepts at me,”_ Ghost cut in, sensing that Zote was preparing to do just that. They’d have to discuss the Pale King’s “jealousy” some other time. _“We need to get out of the Waterways. I need to be sure everyone is alright. Do you think you can cooperate for two minutes?”_

_“What does ‘cooperate’ entail, exactly?”_

_“Being quiet.”_

_“Absolutely not.”_

_“I figured.”_

While Zote didn’t have much of a say in how the body operated, he was sure to complain the entire way up and out, passing the time by telling his fabricated stories to the other minds in the void. Ghost felt so bad for the former vessels that believed every word out of Zote’s mouth… they had no clue that their gullibility was only feeding his ego.  
Ghost also felt bad for themselves, as they had to listen to _all_ of it. _  
_ Suggesting that Zote be quieter only backfired, as the former “knight” took that as a personal offense, growing louder only to spite Ghost.

Oh man. If this was how life would be from here on out, perhaps being a God wouldn’t be so great after all.

…Also, scratch the earlier assertion that the Shade Lord was incapable of getting headaches.

Zote’s very existence was a full-blown migraine.

* * *

_“I didn’t mean to. I was only trying to help.”_

_“You will not deceive me! You knew exactly what you were doing when you stole my prey.”_

_“You were going to die, Zote.”_

_“Nonsense.”_

Ghost had sufficiently flooded Hallownest’s ruins with void. That wasn’t their intention, but it ended up happening anyway.  
Thankfully, it seemed that any remaining bugs had already made their ascent. Lemm’s shop was abandoned, Emilitia was gone, and not a single living insect was left to roam the City’s streets. Corpses littered the ground, but that had been a common sight previously… there were simply _more_ bodies strewn about now.

The rain pattered down on the husks and onto the Shade Lord themselves, as if trying to wash away the substance that now filled its gutters. They paid it no mind, instead finding their gaze locked onto the Hollow Knight’s fountain.

One rather large piece of the void shifted at the sight, though spoke nothing. They hadn’t said a word since their union, and they seemed adamant about keeping that up. After all, spending years in the White Palace had forced them into that way of living – no words spoken, no thoughts to be had, and no will to shatter.  
Ghost extended their sympathy to the large silent sibling, but made no move into coercing words out of them. This statue made them feel uncomfortable and _wrong,_ and those emotions were noticeably present no matter how much the former Pure Vessel tried to suffocate them.

Now that Zote had figured out how to share Ghost’s eyes, he, too, added his two cents. Unprompted.

 _“Pah! What, was that the one that escaped the Abyss first? Curse them for leaving their siblings behind! While I admire their understanding of abandoning the nest as soon as possible, a show of_ compassion _would’ve been nice.”_

_“Hollow didn’t have a choice. I was there, too, with them – but they couldn’t turn back and help me up. That would prove them ‘defective’ in our Father’s eyes._

_“Furthermore… compassion, Zote? I wasn’t aware that was something you held dear.”_

_“Hoy! I’ll have you know – ”_

But Ghost had already tuned out his voice, not at all interested in what he had to object with. It was all lies, anyhow.  
Plus, they weren’t very happy with his chastising of the Hollow Knight, especially given that they resided in the same body as them. Was he suggested that he would’ve helped his siblings escape the void?  
Ghost found that unlikely.

They continued their way upward, climbing through the old elevator shaft that led toward the Forgotten Crossroads. They nearly expected to be faced with clouds of orange and the stench of death, but only suffered the latter.  
Orange no longer plagued the air of the Crossroads, but as the Shade Lord maneuvered throughout it, they found themselves confronted with countless gruzzer and vengefly bodies, alongside the husks that had been aimlessly wandering before their final rest. The sight was solemn, of course, but better than it had once been. It wasn’t fair on the bugs to trap them in eternal Infection. Best to free their souls now.

They then found themselves beneath Dirtmouth’s well.

Every instinct told them to climb up. To burst out from the well and greet their friends again. The entire void buzzed with excitement, as none of them had seen the surface before… if Dirtmouth even _was_ the surface.  
Ghost nearly gave in, clawing their way up while completely disregarding the chain, but…

They stopped themselves, and suddenly turned away.

_“Wha- Where are you off to now?! What other business could you possibly have in these terrible ruins?”_

_“I just need to check something.”_

_“You are_ impossible.”

_“Coming from you.”_

_“That’s it! I challenge you for control of this body! Clearly you are not worthy of it.”_

Ghost chuckled at that, dragging their way through the Crossroads and toward familiar mines. _“No. I would win, anyway.”_

_“You doubt my strength?! Why, if I had Life-Ender, you would be done for!”_

_“I’m sure.”_

_“The audacity! If you’re so sure of yourself, then face me!”_

_“No.”_

_“Coward!”_

All eight of Ghost’s eyes rolled at that, and they made no further comment. Zote just shifted his attention to other entities in the void, claiming that Ghost was merely intimidated by him and that he was planning to sabotage them one day.  
Ghost didn’t consider that as a threat for a second.

* * *

They entered the Crystal Peak as carefully as possible, controlling the speed as which their void flowed as much as they could. They didn’t want to flood the mines if they had the choice. There was someone they needed to see.

She had only been Infected recently, so perhaps she would have survived. Ghost found themselves stuck on this hope, inching with anticipation toward her usual mining spot. They had refused to kill her when they first found her, as the thought of doing so struck them with horror.  
It may have been crueler to leave her body endlessly laboring, but Ghost was so set on the _chance_ that they could save her that they hadn’t considered that. Now, with the Infection gone… she should be alright.

The Shade Lord stopped at the edge of the old drop where they’d found her once. If she was alive, it was likely that she already made her way to Dirtmouth, but Ghost just had to be sure. It was if the entire void held their breath with them as they hesitantly ducked their head down, peering past the two hanging platforms toward where their mining companion used to toil away.

To their surprise, there she was.

She was no longer swinging her pick. She wasn’t even facing the crystals anymore.  
Myla was staring straight into the Shade Lord’s eyes, with her own – without a trace of orange – wide with absolute terror.

Ghost just about burst with joy at the sight of her, and they were sure to express this with squinted eyes signifying a smile. That only frightened Myla more, as she tightened her grip on her pick and stepped backward.  
Hmm. Perhaps a massive hulking void being was rather terrifying when it was staring you down with all eight of its glowing eyes.

The Shade Lord backed off slightly, trying to come up with a way to communicate who they were to her. Or, at the very least, confirm that they meant no harm.

 _“Let me do it!”_ Zote spoke up.

 _“No.”_ Ghost shot him down immediately.

_“Must you defy me every chance you get?”_

_“Yes. It’s very entertaining.”_

_“Hmph! Fine, then! You’ve no way with words, so I wish you_ luck _in communicating_ anything!”

_“Are you suggesting your ‘way with words’ is any better?”_

_“Of course!”_

That shouldn’t have surprised them.  
With a sigh, Ghost began working with the mouth of the Shade Lord. They were _not_ used to having one at all, but the way they stretched their jaw a few times proved to only scare Myla more.

“St-Stay b-back!” Myla, her whole shell shaking, brandished her pickaxe as if it were a shield. It was hard to believe she once flung it at Ghost with ease, nearly splitting their mask in half.

Ignoring a sarcastic praise from Zote on their job well done, Ghost gave Myla what they hoped was an apologetic look, before they tried speaking to her.

“Myla,” They tried, immediately cringing at the way their booming voice practically caused the mines to collapse in on themselves.

She let out an embarrassing squeak in response, shrinking in on herself. Pebbles falling from above her just barely missed conking her on the head. “H-How do you kn-know my n-name?”

“It’s me. Ghost.”

_“She doesn’t know your name, cur.”_

_“Zote, I need you to be quiet for just a moment. I know it’s really difficult for you. Try.”_

“Visited you a few times. Before you were Infected.”

Myla blinked with confusion. That was better than outright fear, Ghost supposed.  
In attempt to make it clearer, the Shade Lord carefully brought down one clawed hand, remaining enough distance away from Myla so not to scare her, and drew a little sketch of their mask into the stone.

The mining bug took a few reluctant steps forward to see the drawing better, and once she shone the light of her lantern on it, her eyes lit up with recognition.  
Then it turned to shock as her head whipped up to face Ghost.

She pointed to the drawing, then back up at the Shade Lord. “Th-That’s _you?”_

Ghost nodded, glee lighting up their own face again. “Hard to explain, but yes.”

 _“It’s not_ that _hard to explain.”_

_“You know what? Keep talking, maybe I can find where you are in this void.”_

_“Is that a threat?!”_

_“You can figure that out.”_

Myla approached the Shade Lord with caution, stopping just before their face and staring in awe. She then lifted a hand and reached to touch them, but Ghost pulled away. They weren’t certain how void interacted with living insects, but they weren’t keen on finding out… seeing as it consumed the shells of the dead without mercy.  
She looked a little disappointed, but she just dropped her hand without asking.

“I-Is there a-anyone else al-alive?” She questioned, but it was as soft as a whisper. “I-I… I don’t know h-how long I’ve been down here. I-I was mining th-those crystals, and… and…”

“I know,” Ghost assured her, tone understanding and calm. “There are others. Above in a town. Come along with me.”

She seemed more than happy to do just that, following as the Shade Lord backed out of the mines, bringing as much of the void as they could back with them.

 _“There. I communicated. Are you proud of me?”_ Ghost asked snarkily, getting the exact response they expected in return.

_“Oh! Now you seek my approval? Well you’re not getting it! Not after your blatant disrespect.”_

_“Oh no. My life is over. However will I go on.”_

_“You shan’t! You shall cave in to your sorrows and wallow in sadness forevermore!”_

_“Woe is me.”_

_“Haha, yes! Your pitifulness amuses me.”_

The portion of void that believed in Zote wholeheartedly gave a small cheer, while the sensible remainder only sighed or laughed at his ignorance.  
  


* * *

Gaining a far better control over their form, the Shade Lord focused as hard as they could, and most of the void that had conquered the ruins began to recede and rejoin them. It had them far larger than before, which would prove exiting through the well rather difficult, but they’d find a way.

Myla headed up first, grasping the chain and ascending to the surface. Ghost waited until the clinking stopped before they peered up after her.

“Y-You can come up now!” She called down, her stuttering voice echoing down the well. The Shade Lord gave a rumbled response of acknowledgement, and then began their own climb.  
It was an incredibly tight squeeze, and they feared getting stuck for a moment, but in allowing some void to part from them – at least for now – they just barely managed to breach the surface, taking in the fresh open air.

Myla beamed up at them, before her attention turned toward the light of the town. Without waiting another moment, she took off, now yelling out a friendly greeting to the first bug she saw:  
Elderbug.

Ghost struggled momentarily to get the rest of their body out of the well, and once they succeeded, they lifted their gaze and was instantly met with the eyes of _many_ other insects.

Myla had practically dragged a confused Elderbug by the hand over to Ghost, leaving him in a familiar open-mouthed expression… very similar to how he had reacted to the Grimm Troupe’s arrival.

Iselda and Cornifer had come out to see what all the noise was for, and Sly was soon to follow.

A large pair of eyes stared from _behind_ Ghost, but they could feel that gaze, too. It was Jiji’s, as she watched intently from her hidden-away home.

The last to emerge was Bretta, who came out of her home while rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

All Dirtmouth residents could only gawk at the behemoth before them, unsure how to respond to its presence. Luckily for Ghost, they needn’t explain a thing – because Myla was already doing it for them. Very cheerfully, she did her best to introduce the Shade Lord as Ghost, and when every bug deadpanned at the name, she gestured for Ghost to draw again.  
So, they did.

And everyone had that look of shocked understanding again.

“The little traveler that kept returning?” Elderbug was the first to speak, craning his head back to maintain eye contact with the Shade Lord. They nodded in affirmation, a fondness for the old bug bubbling up in them.

“This is…” Iselda started, but she was cut off by her husband.

“Fascinating…” Cornifer stepped forward, one hand on his chin while the other adjusted his glasses. “How did you go about acquiring this new form, my short friend? Well… I suppose ‘short’ would no longer be a fitting term for you. You are positively massive, after all!”

Ghost meekly shrugged, not wanting to delve into those details yet. It was a long story, and would have to be revealed in increments, if at all.

_“Let me talk!”_

_“No.”_

Sly looked the Shade Lord up and down, and Ghost couldn’t help but wonder if the Nailsage was _really_ feeling his own short stature now. They highly doubted it, as the shopkeep was apparently very accustomed to wielding nails far larger than himself… if Ghost’s experience in Godhome taught them anything. Sly’s height likely meant nothing to him.

Bretta, on the other hand, was paralyzed. Her expression was unreadable to Ghost. A mixture of awe, fear… some strange traces of regret… and another emotion that the Shade Lord couldn’t recognize. Some part of the void snickered at Ghost’s innocence, and they responded by figuratively sticking out their tongue.

“Gh-Ghost, was it?” She began, gaining their attention. She had never had the courage to speak to them before, so this interaction was all new on both sides. “I-I…”  
She stumbled over her words countless times, struggling to speak at all. She made a few attempts before giving up completely, instead wringing her own wrists and turning her gaze away.

_“I demand you to let me speak!”_

_“I don’t give into demands. Especially not from you.”_

Zote was growing _very_ irritated. It was getting hard to ignore. _“At least let them know I, too, am here!”_

_“Why?”_

_“’Why’ they ask me,”_ Zote, exasperated, said to the void before continuing. _“Because they need to know that they’re in my presence! What has become of my body? Did it just vanish when I was ripped away from reality? Ghost, by the Wyrm, if you do not let them know that I am alive and I have not perished on a whim, I will repeat my Precepts until the end of time itself.”_

_“You wouldn’t.”_

_“Is that something you’d like to test?”_

Not really.

With a defeated sigh, Ghost extended a claw, causing the Dirtmouth residents’ chatter to cease at once. They never learned to write, so simply writing out “Zote is here too, sadly” wasn’t an option. Instead, they drew out the shape of his head, and then pointed to themselves. To avoid any confusion on _all_ of them actually being Zote, they drew a line between themselves and Zote, trying to signify “both of us are here.”

Another ripple of surprise swept through the townspeople. This was apparently too much for Iselda, as she decided to just shake her head and turn away, saying she needed a moment to process what was really happening here.

Cornifer apologized before he followed after her, saying he fully intended to bombard Ghost with questions later. They couldn’t help but laugh in response.

Myla’s gaze darted around for any sort of explanation. When given none, she quietly asked “who?” which earned an outraged shout from Zote.

All other emotion on Bretta’s face disappeared and was replaced with pure hope. “Th-The Grey Prince is with you?! He is alive? He’s alright? Oh, please tell me he’s okay!”

_“Tell her that I’ve bested you in every way shape and form. Never been better!”_

“He’s fine,” Ghost spoke, completely forgetting the ramifications of such an action. The ground quaked beneath them just from talking, and they clamped their jaws shut afterward.

Elderbug had nearly fallen from the shaking until Sly and Myla helped hold him up, all three looking to one other with a similar amount of uncertainty.  
“Why don’t we stay by the bench?” Sly suggested, already leading Elderbug in that direction. The elder thanked Sly for his help, earning a shush in response to any apologies about being a burden.

The Shade Lord trailed behind, with Bretta following beside them, a bright look on her face.

_“That’s not what I told you to say!”_

_“I have the mouth now. I choose what you say.”_

_“This is slander! I will not stand for this.”_

_“You’re free to leave if you figure out how.”_

“O-Oh!” Bretta suddenly stopped, causing Ghost to jerk back as they nearly went right over her. “I-I have the Grey Prince’s belongings! Sh-Should I fetch them?”

_“Yes! She has Life-Ender! I need my nail!”_

Forcing their voice as quiet as possible, which was still terribly loud, Ghost responded. “No. Not yet. Fine without.”

_“No words could ever describe how much I detest you.”_

_“It’s mutual, Zote.”_

* * *

The rest of that day was spent asking and answering questions, most of which Ghost shied away from truthfully responding to. Zote was sure to mock them for that, but Ghost paid him no mind. It was much easier to ignore him once others were speaking with them out loud.

Meanwhile, the void made its own chatter amongst itself, sharing opinions on the various residents of Dirtmouth and pointing out different details of said town. Many of the shades were drawn to the lumafly lanterns, commenting on their beautiful shines and how it reminded many of their Father. With that connection, others hissed away the light, hiding away in the darkest depths of the void.

Zote’s shade ended up settling somewhere near Ghost’s, just so he could be as loud as possible for them. He was dead set on being a nuisance. Given the circumstances, he’d say he was justified in this endeavor.

Ghost would be willing to argue against that, but frankly, they were exhausted. They had barely rest after their time in Godhome, and the journey that followed had gravity weighing down heavy on them. At Ghost’s first yawn, the remaining bugs all decided to call it a night. There’d be a lot more questioning in the morning, especially if Hornet ever came around – a confrontation Ghost was dreading – but for now… everyone was a little frazzled.

Elderbug had pointed out a house for Myla to stay in, and she gratefully accepted. Little questioning had been directed toward her, but Ghost was sure it’d come in time.  
Sly was the first to head off, and Myla soon followed. Elderbug waved them goodnight next, leaving just Bretta and the Shade Lord.

Now alone with them, Bretta became twice as shy, a blush covering her face. Their moment alone didn’t last very long, as she was quick to hop up and wish them goodnight, hardly hiding her hasty escape from the situation as she dashed to her home.

And Ghost was alone.

Well… they supposed being alone was no longer and option. Always, they would be surrounded by millions and millions of minds, all with personalities and ideas… Even the Pure Vessel had much to think about, despite not sharing these thoughts aloud.

Unlike some other vessels.

_“And now what?”_

The Shade Lord’s eyes fell closed as they chose to settle there on the ground beside the bench. The dirt wasn’t as comfortable as the steel bench, but they had little alternatives.

_“We rest.”_

_“Rest is for weaklings.”_

_“You have a precept on this, don’t you? Always be Rested?”_

_“Do not quote my code back to me! Rest is important, of course, but – not in a place like this.”_

_“Dirtmouth is safe.”_

_“You can never be sure.”_

_“Why have you lived your life believing everyone is out to get you?”_

A huff. _“Because they are. Everyone has their own agendas. Putting your trust in the wrong bug could lead to disaster.”_

_“I think you just have trust issues.”_

_“Blasphemy.”_

_“Okay, Zote. I’m going to sleep now. We’ll discuss your questionable reasoning skills in the morning.”_

_“Don’t you dare! I’m not done – ”_

_“Yes, you are. Try not to disturb the void all night.”_

_“Hmph. Just watch me.”_

And he did.

Ghost’s migraine lasted all night long.

Not a wink of sleep was gained that night.

Oh, Gods.

This is going to be a long eternity.

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t personaLLY believe in the “zote is a vessel” theory – hence my entire fic about him being a nosk – buT the idea for this struck me and god I Just Couldn’t Stop Myself
> 
> This got. SO Much longer than I wanted. This was going to be like 500 words of just zote and ghost dialogue. What happened. Why am I like this.  
> But UH yeah guys I’m! tired. This was all wrote in one sitting. Oof
> 
> Also also yes I know this couldn’t happen even if Zote was a vessel ‘cause we see Hollow leave the Black Egg Temple after the Godhome endings, but shshosooosh. Shsohshshhshhsh. Shhhhhh it’s okay


End file.
